Police in the city of Tempe have been spending less time
responding to false alarms. Recently, false alarms fell
from the top spot, police statistics showed. In 2003, false
alarm calls dropped by more than 1,000, indicating a
9-percent decrease in reports, according to the Arizona
Republic.
“It means people are keeping their eyes and ears open, which can ultimately mean we’re safer,” says officer Jeff Lane.
Investigations of false alarms waste time and money, but police believe their winning the war. “False alarms, something so preventable, were getting in the way of better uses of our time,” says Sgt. Jon Waide, who oversees the department’s crime-prevention unit.